Gas prices sink 4 cents in time for Thanksgiving

An estimated three million Texans will see cheaper gas prices at the pump for Thanksgiving, but the prices are still higher than the average cost last year.

The average price of unleaded gasoline fell 4 cents to $3.15 in Houston, down from $3.19 last week, according to AAA gas watch. Corpus Christi still has the cheapest gas in the state at $3.10, and Texarkana has the highest at $3.22.

Nationally, prices sunk 4 cents to $3.35. Texas saw a 5-cent drop as prices settled at $3.17, down from $3.22 from the week before.

Fuel specialist Bob van der Valk said he expected prices to drop this week as refineries begin running at full capacity.

Van der Valk said the price could drop even more before Christmas.

“The price will come down about a dime a gallon and even go below the $3 mark by Christmas time,” Van der Valk said.

Of course, with crude oil hovering near the $100-per-barrel mark again, the sub-$3 gas could just stay on drivers’ wish lists for Christmas.

But the drop gas prices comes with a caveat — they will represent a new high for Thanksgiving.